The Black Man in the Woods
by laxplayer888
Summary: Black: Dirty, Sullen, Wicked, Evil. Logan and Veronica have been married for 9 years. They seem like the "perfect" family, until the Black Man in the woods comes back to haunt Los Angeles, forcing Veronica to move her family back to Neptune for safety ? .
1. Peace? Love? Lax?

Chapter 1- Peace? Love? Lax?

A/N: My first fanfiction. Please rate and review so I can get better. Just to get the math straight, Logan and Veronica are both 34 years old now(18+16 yrs = 34). They had Caitlyn when Veronica was 25.

Disclaimer: "Veronica Mars" does not belong to me, if it was, I would have never cancelled it. Some of the characters are creations by Rob Thomas, a writing genius.

"That's it. Step to the ball, Mars!" yelling as loud as he can. Sixteen years have past since Logan married the girl of his dreams, Veronica Mars. It wasn't easy to convince her to marry him especially she came from a broken family during her formidable years. Now at 34 years of age, his face expresses joy these days ever since the birth of their daughter, Caitlyn, who enjoys playing Lacrosse and spending time with her parents. Caitlyn takes after her mother more than Logan. She's small, blonde, strong, and sassy for a nine year-old. "Take your best shot, old man!" shouted the little girl, seemingly engulfed by her goalie equipment at the moment. After hearing this, Veronica grins.

"_That's my girl."_

She makes an effort to walk onto the field, waving to her daughter. Even then, with bags under her eyes, her messy make-up, and her unruly hair, she still looked like the most gorgeous woman to Logan. He stares at her without realizing that Caitlyn had just passed the Lacrosse ball to him. _"Holy Motherf……" _Logan cries out in pain as the ball hits him down low. He drops his knees to the ground. _"How do you feel, old man?"_ Veronica retorts. At the sight of Veronica, Logan quickly scrambles to get back up. _"And how are you today, beautiful?"_ he says as he kisses Veronica. _"I'm better already."_ Veronica replies with a worried expression on her face as she kisses Logan back. _"Ewwwww!!! Why don't you guys get a room?"_ acting as obnoxiously as she can while she was retrieving the ball near Logan. _"Why don't you give your father and me some time to talk about things, sweetie?" _asking in her most polite way. _"Go practice your cradling, kiddo. Your mother has something to say to me." _Logan said in agreement with Veronica. _"What's wrong with the way I cradle?" _questioned Caitlyn. Logan sheepishly grins at her, _"Nothing. Just go practice it." _Caitlyn walks back towards the goal, letting out an exasperated sigh under her breath, _"Parents…"_ Veronica watches until her daughter is a safe distance away from hearing. Logan notices something is up by the stern expression on her weathered face as she looks onward at their daughter.

"_Veronica, what's up?"_

"_It's probably nothing."_

"_Veronica, I know you better than any person. A nothing with you is always a something every time. What's wrong?"_

"_I think we should take Caitlyn to Neptune for a while to visit her grandfather."_

"_You still haven't answered my question yet. What's wrong?"_

"_Logan…."_

"_Veronica, we're married now. No more secrets."_

"_Just….something came up at work today." _

"_Oh god! Veronica, what have you gotten us into this time?"_

"_Us???"_

"_Yes, Us! Caitlyn, you, and I! Us! Don't you remember last time with the Russian mob??"_

"_What am I suppose to do, Logan? Just quit my job at the FBI???"_

"_Veronica, I make more than enough money to support our family. Yes! You could just quit the FBI. We're not living for ourselves anymore. We have Caitlyn to worry about."_

"_Logan, you know who I am. You know that this is what I do. I'm out there everyday trying to find answers for victims!"_

Suddenly, Veronica's phone rings. _"Go. Pick it up." _Logan said while letting out a frustrated sigh.

"_Mars."_

"_We got another one up in Bakersfield. Get your ass back here, Mars."_

"_Yes, boss."_

The phone shuts close.

"_Logan…."_

"_I know. Another dead body was found. Go. We'll talk about this later."_

Veronica walks away waving good-bye to Caitlyn, who seems to have heard part of their conversation. She doesn't wave back to her mom in an act of defiance. Caitlyn hates it whenever her mom and dad are fighting about something. Whenever they fight, the perfect picture of her family that she has in her mind is shattered. Even though she's strong for a nine-year old, she's not impervious to hurt. Meanwhile, a demented, scarred, and hideous man hides behind the trees nearby, watching the Mars family with his malicious, dark, empty eyes bent on destruction.


	2. Somewhere Out There

Chapter 2- Somewhere Out There

A/N: I know I write short chapters. On the other hand, there will be a new update almost everyday.

The sirens are blaring bright red and blue colors. Newscasters are setting up their equipment to catch the latest hot "news" story for their channels while patrolmen are rolling the yellow tape to keep unwanted people out from contaminating the scene. A coroner assistant rushes to the van to get out a stretcher as fast as possible to take the body away. CSIs are processing the scene as fast as they can against the rain while detectives and FBI agents are gathering as much information as they can on the crime scene. Among all this chaos, Veronica sits in her car, alone with all her thoughts as the rain drops down onto the windshield of her black Yukon Denali.

"_Fuck. What the fuck did you just do today, Veronica? Just go back home to Logan and Caitlyn. You're not even on the fucking clock."_

As the rain continues to pour down, Veronica's shoulder starts to tighten. Her left hand reaches over to her right shoulder and she starts to massage the wound as her face gazes onward carrying a worn, tired, defeated expression.

"_You're a Marshmallow, Veronica Mars." _as Wallace's voice echoes in her brain. Veronica grins.

"_Maybe I am, Fennel. God, if only you could see me now, Wallace. Maybe, Logan is right. I should just leave out all the rest."_

Veronica chuckles to herself at the thought of being a Suzy-homemaker.

"_Veronica Mars, stay-at-home mom. I'll have to learn how to cook first."_

Suddenly, a knock on the window disturbs Veronica's thoughts. A man outside the window with an umbrella gestures for her to roll down her car window.

"_Jesus christ, Chris!"_

"_Never use the lord's name in vain, Veronica."_ retorted Chris with his sheepish signature grinning smile as he gives his hand to help Veronica get under his umbrella.

"_What a nice day we're having" _said Chris while chuckling to himself as they walked near the body.

"_Too nice" _answered Veronica sarcastically as she kneeled down to pull the plastic cover off the body.

"_Boss, I wouldn't do that if I was……" _

"_Child…."_ Veronica said as she interrupted Chris.

Veronica stands up and walks away from the body in disgust. She lets out an exasperated sigh to herself.

"_I'm getting too old for this shit" _

"_Boss, are you alright?" _Chris asked worriedly with concern about Veronica, who should have taken an extended leave from work after the Russian mob incident.

_(Flashback to two months ago.)_

_Boom! The door of an old rusty factory collapsed as a swarm of men came storming through the back door with M-14s, 12-gauge shotguns, and 22 mm glocks drawn on the Russian mob members. "FBI! FBI! FBI!" screamed the HRT squad leader._ A Russian mob member nearby grabs a bullpup rifle, but is immediately shot down before he can shoot. Shots are fired back and forth while Veronica is trying to scream through her gag in the cellar of the factory.

_(Flashback to the present.)_

"_I'm fine. It's just like any job now, isn't it?" _Veronica replied while letting another exasperated sigh while Chris just stares at her with concern still.

"_I'm fine, really." _as Veronica assured Chris that she was okay to continue on with the investigation.

"_Chris, you'd better see this" _as a CSI interrupted them.

"_We found a clock in her mouth stuffed with a piece of paper"_

Chris takes the piece of paper from the CSI carefully with his gloves.

"_The writing on the paper appears to be blood. Possibly the victim's blood. I won't know more until we send if off to our DNA technician in the lab."_

"_Thanks, Sophie"_ Chris said before waving the CSI good-bye.

"_What did Sophie find?" _Veronica inquired with a questioned expression.

"_Keep doing that and you'll have wrinkle lines before you're 40, Mars." _retorted Chris sarcastically.

Veronica playfully punches Chris's left shoulder.

"_Ouch! Okay, Okay. I give up." _said Chris as he was throwing his hands up in a mock gesture of surrendering.

"_Apparently a piece of paper written in blood, she said it could be the victim's DNA on the blood." _answered Chris.

Chris carefully unfolds the piece of paper that now reads cynically, "_Did you like the present I gave you, Special Agent Veronica Mars?"_

Veronica jaw starts to gape open. Her face is in absolute shock. It was him that did this. The Black Man in the woods several years before is back.

"_This time, he won't elude me now. I'll find the answers. That's what I do" _

"_Veronica?" _Chris asked while interrupting the petite blonde's thoughts.


	3. Another Time, Another Place

Chapter 3- Another Time, Another Place.

A/N - I'm still trying to explain everything that's happened since they were 18, it's 16 years later. Logan may not seem like Logan, but he's 34. He's pretty old, enough to be mature, but definitely not completely changed. I'm trying my best to peel the layers of each character slowly, while trying to move the plot forward. Plus, to take into consideration, everyone starts thinking about a family in their late 30s before it's too late. Read and review please :). I think this chapter is a bit more lengthy than my other chapters. I broke it up into little scenes between Logan and Veronica's POVs.

"_Hold up there, kiddo" _Logan said as Caitlyn was rushing out of the car door, carrying her equipment bag, and trying to get onto the porch as quickly as she can to get out of the rain.

"_Daddy, Daddy! Open the door."_ Caitlyn said joyfully with giggles.

"_A bit bossy there aren't we?" _mumbled Logan with the mail in his mouth while he's trying to juggle the grocery bag and his own stick bag.

"_Well, you're an old man! You take forevvva to do things."_ Caitlyn said teasingly.

"_There, it's opened now, your highness." _Logan said in a mock gesture of bowing to the lady. Caitlyn tries to rush into the house, but Logan grabs her by her jacket's collar.

"_What did mommy and daddy say about the floors when it's raining?"_ said Logan with a stern expression on his face. The nine year-old knowing she's in troubled replied hesitantly, _"No shoes on the floors?" _

Suddenly, the phone in the house rings.

* * *

"_Should I call up a protection detail to bring your husband and your daughter into the office?" _demanded Chris.

"_Yes. Get them there ASAP, Chris."_ Veronica replied frantically. The petite, strong, sassy, blonde seems to be on the verge of breaking down.

"_Oh, God. I never ask you for anything, but please, just this once, protect Logan and Caitlyn."_ prayed Veronica in her chain of thoughts.

"_They're going to be safe, Veronica. We'll get him." _assured Chris, trying to assuage Veronica's fears away. Veronica nods back solemnly to Chris.

"_Let's get out of here so you can see your family, alright? There's not much we can do until the lab results comes back. We've interviewed about as many people as we can regarding this case." _Chris said.

* * *

The phone in the kitchen continues to keep ringing. _"I'm coming." _Logan mutters under his breath in annoyance as he picks up the phone. _"Echolls residence"_ answered Logan, squirming at the sound of his last name. How he yearned to change it to "Mars" or at least to his mother's maiden name when Veronica and him got married, but somehow the small blonde girl persuaded him to keep his last name.

_(Flashback to the past.)_

"_My father, Aaron Echolls, was involved in a story about a teenage socialite brutally bashed in the head. The story went on to sell million of newspapers world-wide. Only it wasn't a story. It was the reality that I had to face. When the verdict was delivered in the courtroom, I remembered my face was in a state of absolute shock and disbelief. My father had been cleared of all charges by the jury for murdering my girlfriend, Lilly. It was then that I knew the justice system was flawed. Veronica and I both knew who had really killed her, but we couldn't do anything, except watch my father get out of jail. Time stood still that day. However, karma eventually caught up with my father's lies. I'll never the day that someone finally murdered the bastard for me before I did. Somehow in the midst of all this, I found myself with Veronica after all these years. Logan Echolls, reformed bad boy with a family to call his own. Who would've guessed it? It wasn't easy. Our story was what you would call, epic. Spanning years and continents, lives ruined, bloodshed, epic. It was all because of Lilly's death. She was the binding force between Veronica and me. You know how they say people deal with death in different ways? _narrated Logan.

_(Flashback to the present.)_

* * *

"_Hello?" _Logan inquired again. The phone is dead silence, except for the breathing sounds on the other line. Meanwhile, Veronica dialed the numbers to her house furiously.

"_Busy." _Veronica snapped.

"_Try again." _said Chris as he was trying to concentrate on the road.

Back in the kitchen, Logan has hung up on the phone and began stocking the grocery in the kitchen cabinets.

"_Crazy teenagers prank-calling."_ murmured Logan under his breath.

* * *

"_I got a dial tone" _Veronica said with a sigh of relief. The phone in the kitchen rings several times. Logan turned his head around slightly, debating whether or not he should pick it up again. _"If it's that important, they'll leave a message." _mused Logan pensively to himself. He proceeded to stock the kitchen cabinets again as the phone went to the answering machine. Veronica slams her cell phone shut in utter frustration and looked on helplessly through the car window, passing the trees one by one with ease. A feeble reflection of Veronica appears alongside the trees. The seemingly strong, fierce, sassy blonde had been aged, weathered, and broken down over the years. Veronica chuckles slightly to herself.

"_What ever happened to your absolute, Veronica? Weren't you the girl who said that she was never going to get married?"_

_(Flashback to the past.)_

"_Can I come in?" _asked Keith as he knocked on the bathroom door.

_She never slows down.  
She doesn't know why but she knows that when she's all alone, __feels like its all coming down _

_She won't turn around  
The shadows are long and she fears if she cries that first tear, the tears will not stop raining down_

"_In a minute" _muttered Veronica as the pregnancy test turned into a positive.

"_Positive? Shit! There's got to be something wrong with this. I can't be pregnant with Logan." _panicked Veronica to herself.

"_Sweetie…is everything alright in there?" _Keith said feebly, sensing his daughter's distress. Keith knocked gently on the bathroom door again.

"_I'm just cleaning up. I'll be out in a bit." _Veronica said while trying not to cry as she stood by the bathroom sink, looking at herself in the mirror one last time before opening the door and collapsing into the arms of the only man she ever knew her entire life.

_So stand in the rain  
Stand your ground  
Stand up when it's all crashing down  
You stand through the pain  
You won't drown  
And one day, what__'s lost can be found  
You stand in the rain_

"_Oh Veronica…." _Keith said as he saw the pregnancy test on the bathroom sink.

"_Dad—" _Veronica said as the tears were now overwhelming her. At this point, Keith Mars, did what any good parent would have done. He pulled his daughter closer into him as her tears were now soaking his shirt. Then, he looked at Logan, who came over for dinner. Logan stood there, stunned. His hands felt like they were clammy, but he had a sense of what was happening. He understood from that one look in Keith's eyes that he was going to have to be the better man for Veronica. He wasn't about to abandon Veronica like many people have before in her life. In Logan's mind, he was ecstatic, yet apprehensive at the same instantaneous moment. He was happy in many ways that he was going to be a father and finally have a family, but afraid that he would turn out like his own father, who was abusive towards him and his mother.

"_Mr. Mars…." _Logan blurted out in a state of confusion, trying to make sense of all this.

_(Flashback to the present.)_

* * *

The car screeched to a halt on the side of the street, over-looking Logan and Veronica's house. It would be disguised among the other cars parked along the side of the street. Loud music could be heard coming from the house across the street, suggesting there is a party going on. Among the noises, the Black Man, could hear the sirens of the cop cars approaching from the distance. He slowly crouched below the car window as the sirens were getting closer. The Black Man sneered at the cop cars.

"_Cops…they are stupid, sluggish, uneducated brutes."_ announcing his disgust of cops to himself.

"_Another time, another place, Veronica Mars."_


End file.
